Normalcy returns as fears disappear

The town came out of the fear of riots and returned to normalcy as business and trade centres, educational institutions and almost all other public and private offices resumed work on Monday.

Peace has been restored and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the city on Monday. The army troops, however, kept patrolling areas affected by the riots.

Severe clashes had broken out in Multan on Yaum-e-Ashur when a group of mourners allegedly chanted objectionable slogans outside Jamia Omar Farooq in Bohar Gate area. Mob gathered at Ghanta Ghar Chowk, Bohar Gate, Chowk Shaheedan, Nawan Shehr Chowk, Haram Gate, Mumtazabad and clashed with one another. Army was called in to control the situation.

Meanwhile, Regional Police Officer Capt (retd) Ameen Wains disclosed that the miscreants, who created law and order situation on and after Yaum-e-Ashur, had been identified and they would be arrested very soon. Addressing the members of peace committee, he added that the footages of rioters were available and he personally recognised the faces of the miscreants. He told the participants of the meeting that FIRs had been lodged against those disrupted Multan’s peace.

He urged the clerics to refrain from holding individual press conferences and present their viewpoint at the platform of peace committee. He also requested the clerics to postpone a shutter down strike in Multan in view of local law and order being observed on the call of Wifaqul Madaris. “We need to take these precautionary measures for foiling the vicious plans of anti-social elements. We need the cooperation of local ulama in this regard,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Multan Divisional Commissioner Syed Ali Murtaza said that the local administration knew the saboteurs and therefore there was no need to constitute any inquiry commission. He added that peace was restored through local efforts. He said that the riots could have been blocked through use of power, but this option was not used to protect the lives and property of innocent citizens. He declared that Multan could not afford riots anymore, asking the clerics to continue playing role for the peace in the society.

Religious leaders from different sects including Sahibzada Muhammad Ahmad Mian, Allama Hidayatullah Pasroori, Allama Khalid Mehmood Nadeem and others stressed the need for promoting harmony and tolerance in the city. They asked the security agencies to find out miscreants and punish them. They pointed out that the motive behind creating law and order situation on Ashura was to create a rift between Shia and Sunnis and the miscreants committed this crime on order of their foreign masters.